Business headlines

Rutland owners appeal demolition

ST. PETERSBURG -- The owners of the condominium project at the old Rutland Estate have appealed the city staff's recommendation to demolish the three partially finished buildings.

South St. Pete Property Inc. said in its appeal that it has substantial interest in rehabilitating the project, a luxury waterfront development that was supposed to have 26 three-story duplex buildings. It stalled in 1999 with three partially built structures. South St. Pete Property of Tampa bought the unfinished project in August 2000.

The owners did some work to the buildings last year to take care of immediate unsafe conditions but failed to follow through with a plan and money for finishing the project.

A hearing on the appeal is set for Feb. 12, according to Robert Miles, building demolition coordinator for the city. He said the buildings are unfit for their intended use.

Miles notified the owners that on Dec. 27 the property was condemned, and the city would proceed to take bids to have it torn down unless an appeal was lodged by Jan. 10. The owners filed their appeal Jan. 8, Miles said.

New York company buys plaza

ST. PETERSBURG -- Skyway Plaza in Pinellas Point was one of 58 properties bought by New Plan Excel Realty Trust Inc. in December.

New Plan of New York bought all the 58 properties from Equity Investment Group in Indiana, which purchased Skyway Plaza in June 2000. Under EIG's ownership, Skyway's anchor tenant, Kash n' Karry, expanded in a $2-million makeover.

Skyway is at Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street S and 62nd Avenue.

New Plan owns and manages community and neighborhood shopping centers. Stacy Lipschitz, a spokeswoman for New Plan, said Skyway is 89 percent leased. New Plan's first action at the shopping center will be to fill the vacant stores.

Wave Realty buys building, moves

ST. PETERSBURG -- Wave Realty has relocated to 2660 Fifth Ave. N. Owners Jim and Loretta Powers decided to move the real estate business from Fifth Street S after purchasing the building in the Historic Kenwood neighborhood for $400,000 from Adventure Realty in Clearwater.

The Powers will lease space to Wave Realty's 22 real estate agents as well as real estate-related businesses, including Title Agency of Florida, Atlantic Mortgage and Apex Lending, all based in St. Petersburg. Bay Area Wellness Center, the former tenant of the property, has moved to First Avenue N.

Networking event at USF

ST. PETERSBURG -- A networking opportunity for women-owned businesses, students and faculty is set for Feb. 13 at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

The Mid-Day Business and Professional Women of St. Petersburg is sponsoring the event, which runs from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For more information, www.bpwmiddaystpete.org.

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